Apparatus for feeding annular blanks to a rolling machine



F. 'P. SHARPE April 1, 1958 APPARATUS FOR FEEDING ANNULAR BLANKS TO 'A ROLLING MACHINE I 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed April 30, 1953 April 1, 1958 F. P. SHARPE ,8

APPARATUS FOR FEEDING ANNULAR BLANKS TO A ROLLING MACHINE Filed April so. 1953 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 A ril 1, 1958 F. P. SHARPE 2,828,849

APPARATUS FOR FEEDING ANNULAR BLANKS TO A ROLLING MACHINE Filed April 30, 1953 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 I v I INVENTOR. FREDERICK P. SHARPE u BY April 1, 1958 F. P. SHARPE 2,828,849

APPARATUS FOR FEEDING ANNULAR BLANKS TO A ROLLING MACHINE Filed April 30, 1953 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 FREDERICK P. SHAR PE INVENTOR.

April 1, 1958 F. P. SHARPE 2,828,849

APPARATUS FOR FEEDING ANNULAR BLANKS TO A ROLLING MACHINE Filed April 30. 1953 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 INVENTOR."

FREDERICK P. SHARPE APPARATUS F011 FEEDHQG ANNULAR BLANKS TO A RULLING MACHINE Frederick P. Sharpe, Dearborn, Mich, assignor to Kelsey- Hayes Company, a corporation of Delaware Application April 30, 1953, Serial No. 352,150

10 Claims. (Cl. 198-26) feed the blank to the machine and is movable forwardly away from the machine to remove the blank from the machine after the blank has been fashioned; to provide an apparatus having control means operable by the blank as it moves to the carriage for starting the operation of the apparatus; to provide an apparatus having means operable by the carriage to control the operation of the machine; and to provide an apparatus having means for controlling the discharge of the blank from the carriage.

The invention has for further objects the novel features of construction and combinations and arrangements of parts as more fully hereinafter set forth.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a plan view of the apparatus embodying the invention;

Figure 2 is a side elevation thereof;

Figure 3 is a front view thereof;

Figures 4, 5, 6, 7 and 8 are cross-sections on the lines 4-4, 5-5, 6-6, 7-7 and 88 respectively of Figure 1;

Figures 9 and 10 are enlarged views of a portion of Figure 1 showing the parts in different positions during the operation of the apparatus;

Figure 11 is an enlarged view of another portion of Figure 1.

The apparatus as illustrated in the present drawings is designed particularly to feed partially formed annular rim blanks of the drop center type to a rim rolling machine for further forming the rim blanks to a desired predetermined cross sectional contour.

The apparatus has the support 1, which is a frame having the uprights 2, the side bars 3 and 4 and thefront cross bar 5. Mounted upon this frame is a track comprising the longitudinally extending rods 6 having their front ends secured to the front cross bar 5 and their rear ends secured to the brackets 7 which are secured to the side bars 3 and 4 and the frame of the rim rolling machine. The rim rolling machine is of conventional construction having the upper roll 8, which is mounted on the driven shaft 9, and the lower roll 10, which is mounted on the shaft 11 journalled in the block 12. The block is adapted to be raised and lowered by the fluid pressure operated device to raise and lower the lower roll. In the lowered position, the lower roll is spaced from the upper roll to permit insertion of a rim blank overthe lower roll. In the raised position, the lower roll cooperates with the upper roll to fashion the rim blank to the cross sectional contour determined by the peripheral surfaces of the rolls. The rim rolling machine is provided with conventional apparatus for controlling the operation of the fluid pressure operated device.

14 is a carriage reciprocably mounted on the track and adapted to carry an annular rim blank rearwardly over the lower roll 10 of the rim rolling machine and also to carry the annular rim blank after it has been formed by the rim rolling machine forwardly from the rim rolling machine. The carriage is U-shaped and has the legs 15 and 16 sleeved over and slidable upon the rods 6 and also has the cross bar 17 between the legs. The carriage has the upright spaced guides or guide arms 18 and 19 which are adapted to receive a rim blank therebetween, the portions of the arms engageable with the rim blank having a transverse contour to approximately fit the well of the rim blank engaged by these arms. The carriage also has the plunger 20 which is movable transversely of the guide arm 19 into the space between this guide arm and the guide arm 18 for engagement with the rim blank between these arms to carry the rim blank. The nose 21 of the plunger engageable with the rim blank is also transversely shaped to approximately fit the well of the rim blank. The guide arms and the plunger are laterally and vertically positioned so that the rim blank may be freely moved over the lower roll of the rim rolling machine when the carriage is moved rearwardly. The plunger is reciprocable in the block 22 mounted upon and extending upwardly from the leg 16 of the carriage and this plunger is urged outwardly by the rim blank acting upon the nose 21 and by means of the coil spring 23 betweenthe block and the enlargement 24 at the outer end of the plunger. The nose 22 is adapted to abut the guide arm 19 to limit the outward movement of the plunger. The carriage is adapted to be reciprocated by means of the fluid pressure operated device 25, which is a double acting air cylinder extending forwardly from and secured to the front cross bar Sand having the piston rod 26 secured to the cross bar 17. The front end of the cylinder is supported by the upright 27.

28 is a chute for delivering rim blanks to the carriage, this chute having its bottom wall terminating above and adjacent to the upper end of the upright guide arm 18 Which'is curved toward the chute. The chute is pro:

' vided with the lever 29 having the nose 30 normally extending through a side wall of the chute into the path of a rim blank in the chute to retain the rim blank. The lever is pivotally mounted at 31 upon the chute and is normally held in position with its nose extending into the chute by means of the coil spring 32. The lever has a portion extending below the chute and carrying the abutment plate 33 which is engageable by the adjustable abutment 34 upon the upright 35 mounted upon the leg 18 of the carriage. The construction is such that during the final portion of the forward movement of the carriage the abutment 34 contacts the plate 33 and swings the lever 29 to remove its nose 30 from the chute means such as a solenoid operated valve also of conven-' tional construction. I have also provided means operable by the rim blank as it passes downwardly between the guide arms 18 and 19 for actuating the limit switch.

In detail, 37 is a lever extending through a vertical slot in the guide arm 18 and mounted at its upper end upon the pivot 38. This lever is generally V-shaped and has the depending inner and outer projections 39 and 40 which are respectively at the inner and outer sides of the guide arm 1S. The depending inner projection upon swinging of the lever outwardly is adapted to be received by the recess 41 in the guide arm while the depending outer projection is located at the outer side of the guide arm. The lever is adapted to be engaged by the base of the well of the rim blank while the rim blank is moving downwardly between the guide arms. 42 is a lever pivoted upon the plate 43 below the limit switch 36 and having a cammed upper end for engaging the roller upon the limit switch arm. The limit switch and plate are mounted upon the upright 44 carried by the sidebar 3. For swinging the lever 42 outwardly upon outward swinging of the lever 37, I have provided mechanism between the two levers comprising the reciprocable rod 45 and the pivotal finger 46. The rod is slidable in the block 47 carried by the leg of the carriage and has its inner end engageable with the depending outer projection 40. The finger 46 is pivoted to the head 48 at the outer end of the rod to swing rearwardly only from alignment with the rod against the force exerted by the tension coil spring 49. This finger upon outward movement of the mechanism is engageable with the lever 42 to actuate the limit switch. 50 is a coil spring encircling the rod 45 and abutting the block 47 and the collar 51 upon the rod for resiliently urging the rod inwardly and bringing the head on the rod against the block in which the rod is slidable. At this time the lever 37 extends inwardly into the space between the guide arms 18 and 19 and the pivotal finger 46 is in alignment with the rod and clears the lever 42. The construction is such that a rim blank in moving downwardly between the guide arms 18 and 19 engages the lever 37 and swings the same outwardly and this lever acting through the reciprocable device 45 swings the cammed lever 42 to actuate the limit switch 36.

For controlling the movement of the plunger means is provided upon the frame for engaging the roller 52 which is located below the enlarged portion 24 of the plunger and is journalled upon the pin 53 secured to the enlarged portion. In detail, 54 and 55 are longitudinally spaced front and rear bars having the co-planar inner guide faces 56 and 57 engageable with the roller 52 to hold the plunger 20 in position to engage and support the rim blank. These bars are secured to the inner side of the adjacent side bar 4. Located in the space between the front and rear bars is the rockable device 58. This device comprises the V-shaped member 59 secured to the shaft 60 which is journalled in the hearing block 61 secured to the side bar 4 below the V-shaped member, the construction being such that the inner guide faces 62 and 63 of the front and rear legs of the V- shaped member are engageable by the roller 52, and the bearing block 61 does not interfere with the movement of the roller as the carriage 14 is moved rearwardly and forwardly. 64 is a tension coil spring between the front leg of the V-shaped member and the side bar 4 to normally hold the front leg with its inner face 62 in registration or co-planar with the inner guide face 56 of the front bar 54. At this time, the rear leg of the V-shaped member has its rear end spaced inwardly from the front end of the rear bar 55. As the carriage is moved rearwardly the roller 52 rolls off the inner guide face 56 of the front bar 54 on to the inner guide face 62 of the front leg of the V-shapedl member and then moves over the inner guide face 63 of the rear leg of the V-shaped member, the member being rockable so that the last-mentioned inner guide face is in registration or co-planar with the inner guide face 57 of the rear bar 55. As the rearward movement of the carriage is continued, the roller moves off the rear leg of the V-shaped .4 member and engages the inner guide face of the rear bar while the carriage is moved to loading position at which time the rim blank carried by the carriage encircles the lower roll 10 of the rim rolling machine. After the lower roll has been raised to carry the rim blank upwardly into engagement with the upper roll 8 and the two rolls have fashioned the rim blank and then the lower roll has been lowered to lower the rim blank on the carriage, the carriage is moved forwardly. As it moves forwardly, the roller 52 passes into the gap between the front end of the rear bar 55 and the rear end of the rear leg of the V-shaped member 58 and moves past the outer side of the V-shaped member and rides over the inclined guide face 65 at the rear end of the front bar 54 to again engage the inner guide face 56 of this bar. It will thus be seen that the plunger during the rearward movement of the carriage is held in position engaging and supporting the rim blank upon the carriage, and that this plunger is movable outwardly during the forward movement of the carriage out of engagement with the rim blank to allow the rim blank to be discharged under the influence of gravity. In the event that the plunger does not move freely outward during the forward movement of the carriage, the rear leg of the V-shaped member will engage the roller upon the plunger and compel outward movement of the plunger to release the rim blank. The chute 6-6 is mounted upon the frame to receive the rim blank after it drops from the carriage.

To initiate the operation of the rim rolling machine, I have provided the limit switch 67 of conventional construction upon the side bar 3 of the frame and adapted to be actuated as the carriage approaches the limit of its rearward movement, or loading position determined by the adjustable stops 68 upon the brackets 7 engageable with the ends of the legs 15 and 16 of the carriage 14. The limit switch is positioned so that the pivotal finger 46 engages the roller of the switch lever and swings the lever and then passes the roller. The swinging of the lever closes the switch and initiates the operationof the fluid pressure operated device of the rim rolling machine through the conventional control apparatus of the rim rolling machine. As a result, the lower roll 10 is raised and raises the rim blank against the upper roll 8, the lower and upper rolls fashion the rim blank andthen the lower roll is lowered to deposit the rim blank on the carriage.

To initiate the forward movement of the carriage 14 away from the rim rolling machine after the rim blank has been deposited on the carriage, I have provided the limit switch 68 on the rim rolling machine positioned to be actuated by the block 12 during the final portion of its downward movement. This switch controls the passage of compressed air to the rear end and the exhaust of compressed air from the front end of the fluid pressure operated device 25 by means of the solenoid operated valve previously mentioned.

In operation, assuming the parts to be in the full line positions shown in Figures 1, 2, 3, 4 and 6, the rim blank in the chute 28 can be released by swinging the lever 29 to the full line position shown in Figure 2 so that the rim blank passes downwardly between the guide arms 18 and 19. The rim blank in passing downwardly between these guide arms swings the lever 37 outwardly and thereby actuates the limit switch 36 so that compressed air enters the front end of the fluid pressure operated de vice 25, which moves the carriage 14 rearwardly toward the rim rolling machine. During this rearward movement the nose of the plunger 20 is held in engagement with the rim blank to carry the same by the inner guide face 56 of the front bar 54, the inner guide faces 62 and 63 of the front and rear legs of the V-shaped member 59 and the inner guide face 57 of the rear bar 55. As the carriage approaches the limit of its rearward movement, the pivotal finger 46 actuates the limit switch 67 which initiates operation of the rolling machine when the carriage is in loading position with the rim blank on the carriage encircling the lower roll of the rolling machine. The lower roll is then raised and raises the rim blank against the upper roll and the two rolls fashion the rim blank after which the lower roll is lowered. During the final portion of the downward movement of the block carrying the lower roll, the limit switch 68 is operated to control the entrance of compressed air into the rear end of the fluid pressure operated device and the exhaust of compressed air from its front end so that this device moves the carriage forwardly away from the rim rolling machine. The pivotal finger 46 upon contacting the roller of the limit switch 67 swings rearwardly and passes the roller after which the pivotal finger is swung into alignment with the rod 45 by the coil spring 49. During the continued forward movement of the carriage the roller 52 passes through the gap between the front end of the rear bar 55 and the rear end of the rear leg of the V-shaped member 59 and the plunger 20 is moved outwardly to disengage its nose from the rim blank so that the rim blank may drop from the carriage into the chute 66. After the release of the rim blank the roller 52 rides over the inclined face 65 and back on to the inner guide face 56 of the front bar 54 at which time the nose of the plunger is again in position to engage and support a rim blank moving downwardly between the guide arms 18 and 19. During the final portion of the forward movement of the carriage, the abutment member 34 upon the carriage engages the abutment plate 33 upon the lever 29 to swing this lever and move its nose out of the path of travel of a rim blank in the chute 28 so that this rim blank may now move downwardly between the guide arms and the above cycle may be again carried out.

What I claim as my invention is:

1. An apparatus for feeding an annular rim blank to a rim rolling machine comprising a frame, a carriage movable rearwardly toward and forwardly away from the rim rolling machine, said carriage having upright spaced guide arms for receiving a rim blank therebetween and a plunger movable transversely of one of said guide arms into the space between said guide arms into carrying position for engagement by the rim blank between said guide arms to carry the rim blank, a roller on said plunger, a spring for moving said plunger out of carrying position, and means on said frame for controlling the operation of said spring, said means including longitudinally spaced front and rear bars having inner guide faces engageable with said roller, a rockable device between said front and rear bars having front and rear legs extending at an angle to each other and provided with inner guide faces en gageable with said roller, said inner guide faces of said bars and device when engaging said roller holding said plunger in carrying position during the rearward movement of said carriage, a spring between said frame and device for normally holding said device with the inner guide face of said front leg co-planar with the inner guide face of said front bar and with the free end of said rear leg spaced inwardly from the end of said rear bar to permit passage of said roller therebetween during the forward movement of said carriage whereby said roller may pass said device at the outer side thereof and said plunger may be moved by said spring from carrying position to release the rim blank.

2. An apparatus for feeding an annular blank to a rolling machine comprising a support, a carriage on said support movable rearwardly toward and forwardly away from the rolling machine, said carriage having upright spaced guides for receiving a blank therebetween and a blank carrying member movable into the space between said guides into carrying position for engagement by the blank between said guides to carry the blank, and means controlling the movement of said member during the movement of said carriage toward and away from the rolling machine including a roller on said member, means on said support providing co-planar front and rear guide faces engageable with said roller and a rockable V-shaped member having front and rear legs provided with guide faces at an angle to each other engageable with said roller, the guide faces of said legs being movable into coplanar relation with the first-mentioned guide faces, said first and second mentioned guide faces when engaging said roller holding said blank carrying member in carrying position during the rearward movement of said carriage, and yieldable means for normally holding said V-shaped member with its rear leg spaced from the front end of said rear guide face providing a gap for receiving said roller during the forward movement of said carriage for movement of said blank carrying member from carrying position.

3. In an apparatus for feeding an annular blank, a reciprocable carriage having upright spaced guides for receiving a blank therebetween and a blank carrying member movable into the space between said guides for en-- gagement by the blank between said guides and also movable from the space and out of engagement with the blank, and means controlling the movement of said blank carrying member during reciprocation of said carriage, said means comprising an abutment memberupon said blank carrying member, members extending parallel to the direction of reciprocation of said carriage having co-planar guide faces engageable with said abutment member, a V-shaped rockable device having legs provided with guide faces engageable with said abtument member and adapted to register with the guide faces of the adjacent members, and means yieldably holding said device with the guide face of one of its legs in registration with the guide face of one of said members and with the other leg spaced from the guide face of the other of said members, said guide faces of said members and device when engaging said abutment member holding said blank carrying member in the space between said guides and the space between said other leg and other member providing for the movement of said abutment member thereinto and the movement of said blank carrying member out of the space between said guides.

4. An apparatus for feeding annular rim blank to a rim rolling machine comprising a support, a carriage on said support movable toward and away from the rim rolling machine, said carriage having upright spaced guides for receiving a rim blank therebetween and a plunger movable transversely of one of said guides and engageable with the rim blank between said guides to carry the rim blank, and means on said support controlling the movement of said plunger out of engagement with the rim blank during movement of said carriage away from the rim rolling machine to allow the rim blank to be discharged from the carriage.

5. An apparatus for feeding an annular rim blank to a rim rolling machine comprising a frame, a track on said frame extending in front of and transversely to the rim rolling machine, a carriage on said track movable toward and away from the rim rolling machine, said carriage having upright spaced guide arms for receiving a rim blank therebetween and a plunger movable transversely of one of said guide arms and engageable with the rim blank between said guide arms to carry the rim blank, and means on said support including a rockable member for controlling the movement of said plunger out of engagement with the rim blank during movement of said carriage away from the rim rolling machine to allow the rim blank to be discharged from said carriage.

6. In an apparatus for feeding an annular blank, a reciprocable carriage having upright spaced guide arms for receiving a blank therebetween, an electric switch for controlling the movement of said carriage in one direction, and means for operating said switch comprising reciprocable mechanism, a spring for resiliently urging said mechanism toward one of said guide arms and a lever pivotally mounted on and extending through said lastmentioned guide arm and having a portion normally extending into the space between said guide arms for engagement by a blank, said leveralso having spaced depending portions embracing said last-mentioned guide arm with one of said depending portions engageable with said mechanism.

7. In an apparatus for feeding an annular blank, a eciprocable carriage having upright spaced guides for receiving a blank therebetween, an electric switch for controlling the movement of said carriage in one direction, and means for operating said switch comprising a rod movable transversely of one of said guides, a rockable finger pivoted to said rod, a spring for resiliently holding said finger in predetermined relation to said rod, a second spring for resiliently urging said rod toward said last-mentioned guide and a lever pivotally mounted on said last-mentioned guide and having 21 depending portion engageable with said rod and a portion in the space between said guides for engagement by a blank.

8. An apparatus for feeding articles comprising a support, a carriage movable along said support, said carriage having upright spaced guides for receiving an article therebetween, a member supporting the article between said guides and movable out of supporting relation to the article, and means on said support controlling the movement of said member out of supporting relation to the article in response to movement of said carriage in one direction to allow the article to be discharged from the carriage.

9. In an apparatus for feeding an annular blank, 2.

reciprocable carriage having upright spaced guide arms for'receiving a blank therebetween, an electric switch for controlling :themovement of said carriage in one direction, and means for operating said switch comprising reciprocable mechanism, a spring for resiliently urging said mechanism-toward one of said guide arms and a lever pivotally mounted on said last-mentioned guide arm having spaced portions embracing said last-mentioned guide arm, one of said portions extending into the space between said guide arms for engagement by a blank and the other of said portions being engageable with said mechanism.

10. In an apparatus for feeding an annular blank, a reciprocable carriage having upright spaced guide arms for receiving a blank therebetween, an electric switch for controlling the movement of said carriage in one direction, means for operating said switch comprising reciprocable mechanism, and a member mounted on one of saidguidearms having spaced portions, one of said portions extending into the space between said guide arms for engagement by a blank and the other of said portions being engageablewith said mechanism.

References Cited in the file of thispatent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,010,740 Douglas Dec. 5,1911 1,467,409 Wilkinson Sept. 11, 192 3 2,325,638 Strickland Aug. 3, 19.43 2,675,848 Greenshields et al. a Apr. 20, 1954 

